Art of golf training



May 20, 1969 M. E. BURCZ 3,444,741

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United States Patent O 3,444,741 ART OF GOLF TRAINING Melvin E. Burcz, 11303 Alger, Warren, Mich. 48093 Filed Oct. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 675,652 Int. Cl. C011 5/02 U.S. Cl. 73-379 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE My invention discloses improvements in the art of golf training comprising means for gaging the results of practice golf swings to improve ones golf game by which means an air filled formed rubber bag open to atmosphere is struck with the face of a golf club in the course of a practice golf swing. The onrush of air out of said bag upon collapse thereof by such impact is ntilitized to move an object from a point of reference so that force of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the distance drive in said golf swing can be gaged by such movement of said object. Rotational movement of said bag from a point of reference is provided for in the event it is obliquely struck by said club face so that the obliquity of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the amount of hook or slice in said golf swing can be gaged by such rotational movement of said bag. Provision is made so that rotational movement of said bag during impact adversely aects movement of said object whereby the distance drive in said golf swing is gaged to be less by the amount of hook or slice therein. The loft on the club face also adversely affects movement of said object whereby the distance drive in said golf swing is also gaged to be less by the amount of such loft.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of golf training.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of practical and reliable means for realistically gaging the results of practice golf swings to improve ones golf game which are adapted for quantity manufacture and capable of safe and continual use without breakdown.

The foregoing object of my invention and its advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. l, 2, 3 and 4-5 are, respectively, perspective, top plan, front elevational, and sectional views of improvements in the art of golf training embody my invention.

Briefly, my invention discloses improvements in the art of golf training comprising means for gaging the results of practice golf swings to improve ones golf game by which means and method `an air lled formed rubber bag open to atmosphere is struck with the face of a golf club in the course of a practice golf swing. The onrush of air out of said bag upon collapse thereof by such impact is utilized to move an object from a point of reference so that the force of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the distance drive in said golf swing can be gaged by such movement of said object. Rotational movement of said bag from a point of reference is provided for in the event it is obiquely struck by said club face so that the obliquity of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the amount of hook or slice in said golf swing can be gaged by such rotational movement of said bag. Provision is made so that rotational movement of said bag during impact adversely affects movement of said object whereby the distance drive in said golf swing is gaged to be less by the amount of hook or slice therein. The loft on the club face also adversely affects movement of said object whereby the distance drive in said golf Mice swing is also gaged to be less by the amount of such loft.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail 10 designates said embodiment generally which comprises an air lled formed rubber bag 12 open to atmosphere which is the size of a golf ball. The bag 12 is adapted and intended to be struck with the face of a golf club during practice swings. Preferably the bag 12 has surface indentations and is white to resemble a real golf ball. The bag 12 stands upright via an air filled rubber stem 14 which is struck and collapses with said bag 12. The stem 14 is preferably red to resemble a real golf tee. The bag 12 and stem 14 may be formed by dipping a metal from (machined externally to the size and shape of said bag 12 and stem 14, respectively) with conventional mold release compound thereon into a well-known both of high tensile strength silicone rubber or neoprene until a rubber skin of 15 to 2() thousandths thickness is formed about said metal form. The metal form with the rubber skin thereon is removed from said bath and the rubber skin is then removed from said metal form by stretching the rubber stem 14 over the enlargement on said metal form defining the bag 12. The thusly made rubber skin has form and will serve as said bag 12 and stem 14 integral in such instance.

Said embodiment 10 also comprises a rotatable ballast 15 for said bag 12. The stem 14 is attached to the ballast 15 by stretching of the lower end of the stem 14 over the upright end of said ballast 15 and by adhering the two together with suitable adhesive. The ballast 15 operates in a chamber 16 open to atmosphere is a base 18 which, inter alia, rotatably supports said ballast 15 and serves to anchor said embodiment 10 against movement during golf practice therewith. The base 18 is adapted and intended to be set in a like shaped opening 20 in a suitable mat 22. The embodiment 10 is inserted into the opening 20 from beneath the mat 22 so that the lateral flanges 24 on said base 18 are disposed beneath said mat 22 to better hold the embodiment 10 fast against dislodgement in respect to said mat 22. The mat 22 is preferably thicker than the thickness from top to bottom of said base 18 so that only the bag 12 and stem 14 therewith are struck by the club face during practice swings. The ballast 15 carries an orifice 25 in communication with said chamber 16 and with the interior of said bag 12 and moveable therewith which, in the instance, comprises intersecting radial and axial apertures 26 and 27, respectively, in said ballast 15. A stationary orice 28 communicating with the chamber 16 is provided in the wall of the structure defining said chamber 16 and comprises, in the instance, a radial through aperture in said wall. The exit end of the moveable orice 25 is operatively disposed adjacent the entering end of the stationary orifice 28. An air-directing cavity 30 is provided at the entering end of the stationary orice 28 to better direct thereinto air which exits from the moveable orifice 25.

Said embodiment also comprises an object moveable from a point of reference by impingement upon it of said onrush of air upon collapse of said bag 12 and stem 14 which object comprises, in the instance, a vane 32 swingable about a pivot axis therefor. The Vane 32 has an impingement arm 34 operatively disposed adjacent the exit end of the stationary orice 28 and another arm 36 which serves as a pointer for the swing imparted to said vane 32. The pivot pin for the vane 32 which is designated 38 is disposed, in the instance, on a line which is offset in respect to a diameter through said ballast 15. The vane 32 swings upon its pivot axis from impingement of air upon it through collapse of the bag 12 whenever the bag 12 and stem 14 are struck by a club face. Swinging of the vane 32 is in one direction the extent of which is measured by the pointer arm 361and a scale 43 over which the pointer arm 36 swings. The scale 43 which is located on a platform on the base 18 in front of the orifice 28 has a starting position and a maximum swing position and is marked off in yards corresponding to the distance drive of a real golf shot. The actual conditions of the latter are correlated into swinging movement of the vane 32 by proper relationship of the volume of the bag 12 and stern 14, the diameter of the orifices 25 and 28, the size of the cavity 30, the rotational inertia of the ballast and of the vane 32. The vane 32 is placed in its place of starting by the user of said embodiment at the beginning of each practice swing.

In the event the bag 12 is obliquely struck by a club face the ballast 15 rotates upon its supporting structure which comprises, in the instance, a cover plate 37 for an access opening in the bottom of the base 18. Rotation of the ballast 15 and hence of the bag 12 is in one of two directions depending upon the direction of Obliquity of impact of the club face with the bag 12. A scale 40 on the top face of the base 18 and a vertical marker 41 on the stem 14 measure the extent of rotational movement of the ballast 15 and hence of the bag 12 in either direction from a neutral position in which the bag 12 is placed by the user of said embodiment 10 at the beginning of each practice swing. Such neutral position of the bag 12 corresponds to maximum alignment of the two orifices and 28.

In use of said embodiment 10 with it set in place in the mat 22 a golfer sets the vane 32 and bag 12 at their respective places of starting in resemblance of the action of said golfer teeing up his golf ball on a tee in preparation for his drive. The golfer then addresses the bag 12 and drives it exactly as he does a real golf ball. At the bottom of the golfers swing his club face strikes the bag 12 and stem 14 and causes them to collapse. Air rushes outwardly of the bag 12 through the orifice 25 upon such collapse and thence through the orifice 28 and impinges upon the arm 34 causing the vane 32 to swing from its place of starting. The greater the force of impact of said club face with said bag 12 and hence the more distance drive there is in said golf swing the greater will be the swing of the vane 32. The loft on the club face affects the onrush of air out of the bag 12. The greater the loft on the club face the more the stem 14 closes so that the more the onrush of air out of the bag 12 is restricted and the less the swing of the vane 32 for ya given force of impact. Immediately following such impact the bag 12 and stem 14 fill with air by free fiow from the atmosphere in the chamber 16 through the orifice 25. There is a slight time delay involved in refilling of the bag 12 and stem 14 with air but it is negligible in respect to the time it takes for the golfer to re-set the embodiment 10 for use and to address the bag 12 in preparation for the next practice shot. In the event the club face is open when it strikes the bag 12 either from open positioning thereof in a straight swing or from open swinging of the golf club with the club face straight (or a combination of these conditions) the bag 12 and stem 14 will rotate in one direction so that the marker 41 moves into the area on the scale 40 marked SLICE corresponding to the direction of movement of a real golf ball which would have sliced if hit by the same golf shot. In the event the club face is closed when it strikes the bag 12 either from closed positioning thereof in a straight swing or from closed swinging of the golf club with the club face straight (or a combination of these conditions) the bag 12 and stem 14 will rotate in the opposite direction so that the marker 41 moves into the area on the scale 40 marked HOOK corresponding to the direction of movement of a real golf ball which would have hooked if hit by the same golf shot. A left handed golfer addresses the bag 12 and drives it from the opposite side so that the scale 40 is oppositely marked HOOK (LH.) and SLICE (LH.) for a left handed golfer. Rotational movement of the bag 12 in the event it is obliquely struck by said club face adversely affects movement of the vane 32 because of the adverse affect on air flow through the orifice 28 by reason of the rotation of the orifice 25 out of maximum alignment with the orifice 28. The air-directing cavity 30 is arranged in respect to the exit end of the orifice 25 so that it is operative to direct air exiting from the orifice 25 into the orifice 28 in the extreme positions in which said orifice 25 rotates upon rotation of the bag 12. FIG. 5 shows in full lines the maximum alignment position of the orifice 25 and in dotted lines the extreme positions thereof in respect to the orifice 28. The decrease in air fiow through the orice 28 and hence in the amount of swing of the vane 32 by reason of movement of the orifice 25 out of its position of maximum alignment with the orifice 28 reflects the loss of distance drive in said golf swing by the amount of hook or slice therein corresponding to the loss of distance of a real golf ball if hit by the same golf shot by reason of such amount of hook or slice.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by my invention improvements in the art of golf training in which the object hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages has been successfully achieved. While a preferred embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it is to be lunderstood that variations and changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In the art of golf training, means for gaging the results of practice golf swings comprising an air filled formed rub-ber bag the size of a golf ball arranged to be struck with the face of a golf club during a practice swing, said bag having an air filled rubber stem which is struck and collapses with said bag, said bag standing upright via said stem, a ballast for said bag to which said stem is attached, an object moveable from a point of reference, and means for impinging upon said object the onrush of air out of said bag upon collapse thereof by such impact to move said object from its point of reference so that the force of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the distance drive in said golf swing can be gaged by such movement of said object, said means defining a path of air -flow between the interior of said bag and said object which includes a ow restricting orifice for the air impinging upon said object and air passage means in said ballast, and means communicating the portion of said air path between the interior of said bag and said orifice to atmosphere.

2. Means as claimed in claim 1, a base, a chamber in the base, the ballast disposed in said chamber, said chamber in communication with said air passage means and having at its exit end said orifice, and means communicating said chamber to atmosphere.

3. In the art of golf training, means for gaging the results of practice golf swings comprising an air filled formed rubber bag open to atmosphere the size of a golf ball arranged to be struck with the face of a `golf club during a practice swing, an object moveable from a point of reference, and means for impinging upon said object the onrush of air out of said bag upon collapse thereof by such impact to move said object from its point of reference so that the force of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the distance drive in said golf swing can be gaged by such movement of said object, means for rotating said bag from a point of reference when it is obliquely struck by said golf club face so that the Obliquity of impact of said club face with said bag and hence the amount of hook o1' slice in said golf swing can be gaged by such rotational movement of said bag.

4. Means as claimed in claim 3 and means for decreasing the impingement of air upon said object in accordance with the amount of rotational movement of said bag, whereby the distance drive in said golf swing is gaged to be less by the amount of hook or slice therein.

5. Means as claimed in claim 3 in which said bag has an air filled rubber stem which is struck and collapses with said bag, said bag standing upright via said stem, and a rotatable ballast for said bag attached to said stern.

6. Means as claimed in claim 5 in which said ballast has air passage means in communication with the interior of said bag and moveable therewith.

7. Means as claimed in claim 6 and a base, a chamber in the base, said 'ballast rotatably supported in said chamber, said chamber in communication with said ballast air passage means and having at its exit end said orice, and 10 means communicating said chamber to atmosphere.

8. Means as claimed in claim 7, said base having converging air passage means therein which converge toward said orifice, the exit end of said ballast air passage means rotatably disposed adjacent the entering end of said converging air passage means.

9. Means as claimed in claim 3 and means which includes an air iilled rubber stem on which said bag stands upright for decreasing the impingement of ail upon said object by restricting the onrush of air out of said bag in accordance with the amount of loft on the club face, whereby the distance drive in said golf swing is gaged to be less by the amount of such loft.

10. Means as claimed in claim 1 in which said object is a vane swingable by impingement upon it of said onrush of air.

11. Means as claimed in claim 10 and the vane having an impingement arm operatively disposed adjacent the exit end of said orice and a pointer arm separate from said impingement arm.

12. Means as claimed in claim 5, said stem carrying a marker for gaging the amount of rotational movement of said ballast, stem and bag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 482,623 9/1892 Dooling 73-379 487,033 11/1892 Kremer 73-379 750,593 1/1904 Cady 73-379 968,325 8/1910 Carter 73-379 1,260,013 3/1918 Neats 73--379 1,376,655 5/1921 Stevens 73-379 1,427,496 8/ 1922 Ono 73-379 1,707,449 4/ 1929 Rodale 73-379 2,680,967 6/1954 Newman 73-379 2,708,367 5/1955 Lusk 73-379 2,784,592 3/ 1957 Newman 73--379 2,953,922 9/ 1960 Bonkowski 73-379 3,081,091 3/1963 Grow 273--186 3,081,634 3/1963 Blaszkowski 73-379` 3,101,948 8/1963 Campbell 273-183 3,162,440 12/ 1964 Argiro 73-379 FOREIGN PATENTS 197,530 5/ 1958 Austria.

1,383,072 France.

JAMES I. GILL, Primary Examiner.

R. S. SALZMAN, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 273-185, 200 

